King County Executive Dow Constantine took in construction sites and sound views on his July 8 trip to Des Moines.

The visit was one of 27 tours of the cities in Constantine's constituency that the executive hopes will "lay the foundation" for a new relationship between King County and its cities.

Constantine, accompanied by Des Moines City Manager Tony Piasecki and Mayor Bob Sheckler, first visited the South Correction Entity (SCORE) jail site on the border between Des Moines and SeaTac.

As King County will no longer house inmates convicted of misdemeanors in 2012, the cities of Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Renton, SeaTac, and Tukwila have undertaken a cooperative effort to build the jail, which will house 822 inmates when it is completed.

Next, the executive toured Des Moines Beach Park, remarking on the nearby buildings featured on the National Historic Register. At the Des Moines Marina, Piasecki explained the seawall replacement project and plans for new pedestrian areas.

"It's moving along so well I wouldn't be surprised to see it done by next year," Piasecki said. He also commented on the popularity of the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market, which has been "profitable since day one."

Back at City Hall, Constantine expressed confidence that the new projects in Des Moines will help the city "bring and keep economic activity." Once the national economy begins to turn around, "Des Moines is poised for quick economic recovery," he said.

Having already traversed SeaTac, Tukwila, and Normandy Park, Constantine plans to visit Burien before concluding his tour.

He said the county has already established new agreements with several cities, concluding that county staffers are interested in establishing new partnerships with the cities of King County.